


A New Vision

by Dandy



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boy Band, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 18:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16837810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandy/pseuds/Dandy
Summary: After returning to play with his old bandmates, Rin tries to get along with their newest member, and they grow closer than either of them ever expected.





	A New Vision

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr on February 13th, 2016 for RinRei Week 3. The prompt was "Music."
> 
> Bad title is bad.

Rin had never been inside Iwatobi high school before, but it was easy enough to follow the sounds of a grand piano to the music room. He had a feeling that the person who was playing Chopin with such perfect precision was exactly who he was looking for, and his suspicions were confirmed when he stepped in and observed the bespectacled pianist at work.

He was still surprised that _this_ was the guy they’d gotten to replace him in their band – no, it was wrong to think of it that way. He’d left, after all, to pursue a mostly doomed solo career. But now, thanks to their new keyboard player’s actions, Style 4 was together again.

No. Style _5_.

Rei Ryugazaki. Rin had only recently bothered to remember the name, but now it was burned into his memory forever. It was Rei who had reached out across the gap, beckoned Rin back on stage to play with the rest of them again. It was Rei who had given up his spot at the keyboard so that Rin could stand there instead, and finally find his way again.

But despite owing Rei so much for helping him, even when Rei had no reason to, even had cause to _hate_ him, Rin didn’t know much about the guy. He had been studying classical music and composition when Nagisa convinced him to join the formerly disbanded Style 4, he knew that. For some reason, he had agreed to do so. And he knew that Rei was a very straightforward person, and would always go after answers, violently if needed, sometimes. And he also knew that Rei was probably one of the kindest people on the planet. But that was it. That’s why he was there in the music room, listening to Rei play.

Rei hadn’t noticed him yet, absorbed in the piece. His eyes followed the sheet music, trailing quickly back and forth, though his precision suggested that he had played this piece many, many times before, and his fingers remembered how it went. Still, he didn’t look away.

Rin frowned a bit as he listened. Rei was playing the piece technically perfectly. He was keeping the correct tempo, slowing and speeding back up at just the right moments. His crescendos and decrescendos were perfectly timed and the rise and fall of the music was just what Rin would expect from a skilled pianist. And yet, something was still _off_ about the performance. It felt wooden, listless. Like Rei wasn’t putting any heart into it.

But he didn’t feel like not having his heart in it was the problem.

“Rin-san?”

He was startled out of his reverie by Rei’s sudden address. He realized the music had stopped, and Rei was turned on the piano bench, looking at him.

Rin was a bit embarrassed that he’d been caught watching, but he smiled anyway, raising a hand. “Hey, Rei.”

Rei nodded back in greeting. “Hello.” He paused, like he was waiting on Rin, and then prompted, “Did you need something?”

“Uh, no.” Rin’s smile fell, and he rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. “I just heard the music and thought I would come see who’s playing.”

That wasn’t entirely the truth. In a desire to learn more about his newest bandmate (or was it more fair to say it was the other way around?), he’d come looking for Rei. But he was nowhere near ready to admit something like that. Rei made being straightforward with feelings look so easy.

“Ah, I was just practicing.” Rei shrugged. “I have a recital coming up at the end of the month. This is the piece I’m playing.”

“Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor, huh?”

Rei’s eyes lit up. “You know it?”

Rin scoffed. “Are you forgetting I study piano, too?”

Rei’s tentative smile grew into a smirk, and he folded his arms. “And here I thought you only knew how to play show tunes. Who knew you could play real music too?”

It was a playful jest, and Rin knew that. This was a comfortable routine they’d both fallen into, poking and prodding at each other, keeping up a friendly rivalry. It was the easiest way for them to interact with each other as they both worked out how they fit in each other’s life. The easiest way for them to even, perhaps, become friends.

Rin approached the bench, sliding onto it with a bit of shove to move Rei out of his way. He rested his hands on the keys, giving the sheet music a quick once over to remind himself.

“Okay, first, there’s no such thing as fake music,” he said resolutely, because that’s truly how he felt, though he knew that Rei had come to truly feel that way, too. Still, he always felt it was worth repeating, and was satisfied when Rei didn’t argue. “And second…”

He trailed off, and began to play.

The piece was one he had played several times before himself, and his hands still remembered, even after all this time. He only had to glance at the score occasionally, and let his eyes flutter closed the rest of the time, as he usually did when he was so deeply absorbed. He reveled in the swell of his chest as the music flowed over and through him, lifting him up outside the bounds of reality. This was what it felt like to be in love with music. This was the feeling that he had lost, and the one Rei, and Haru, and Makoto, and Nagisa, had given back to him.

As the ending notes died away, he let his eyelids rise up again, panting just a little – not in exertion, but from the passion still threatening to overwhelm him. He had felt more alive in the last two weeks since the concert than he had in all the years since he first stopped playing with Haru and the others, and the feelings music gave him hadn’t lost their impact on him. He hoped they never would again. 

But when he looked at Rei, the smile on his face fell. 

Rei was staring at him, lips parted like he was in awe. And maybe he was, and that made Rin feel a little embarrassed, but also flattered, and also something else he couldn’t quite put a name to. It was something like joy, he supposed. Joy to be recognized.

But there was something in Rei’s eyes that wouldn’t let him feel entirely happy. A longing, and a kind of defeat. It was too close to the way Rin had felt for so long, as his solo career had fallen down around him. He didn’t like seeing Rei that way. 

“Uh,” he began ineloquently, trying to find a way to address it that wouldn’t scare Rei away, but that seemed to shake Rei out of his trance, and when he blinked again his eyes were more guarded than before. He looked away, staring at the score now instead of Rin’s face.

“You play that song… much more beautifully than I do.”

His voice was quiet, and Rin realized that this was difficult for Rei to admit. He, who had been so straightforward when he’d come to ask Rin why he’d been so determined to antagonize Haru and jeopardize their live performance, was having trouble now admitting his own shortcomings. And yet, he still _was_ , and to _Rin_ of all people, who had the fewest reasons to trust.

Rin thought that Rei was probably a braver person than he would ever be.

The silence dragged on a bit too long, and Rin realized it was his turn to say something. But unlike before, when it had been his feelings on the table, he found words coming much more easily now.

“Well, it’s not like you play this badly.” And that was the truth. “Your technical skill is pretty damn perfect.”

Rei laughed, bitterly, and gave his head a little shake. “Yes. My technical skill is perfect.” Despite the words, he didn’t sound cocky, like normal. Rin raised an eyebrow. “But I still can’t play beautifully.”

Rin thought his words out carefully before responding. He didn’t want Rei to look like this, didn’t want him to fall into the same hole he had. Rei had gone out of his way to give Rin his love of music back, and now Rin wanted to do the same for him.

“Well, your main problem is that your playing doesn’t have a lot of passion,” he said bluntly, and Rei started, grimacing at the piano keys. “Your style sounds wooden.” Another start. Rei sank lower on the bench. “It’s not very enjoyable.” Rei smacked his forehead on the keys.

“I’ve been trying, you know!” he protested, once he raised his head again. “Music has a structured set of rules and theories, and I’ve studied every one! I’ve memorized them front and back! My fundamentals are impeccable! I can sight-read flawlessly! So why!” He bent his head, sinking his fingers into his hair, and for a moment Rin was afraid he might start tearing it out at the roots. “Why can’t I play beautifully?” 

Rin watched this display with a raised eyebrow, then gave a little scoff, though it wasn’t meant to be derisive. “If you can put all the passion you just showed into your playing, it would be perfect.”

Rei lowered his hands and sighed. “Haruka-senpai said something similar. That I should just… feel the music, and let my playing happen naturally. But that doesn’t make any logical sense! He’s so amazing at making his music sound emotional, and I…” He shook his head. “I just don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how to connect my heart and hands together.”

Rin leaned his elbow on the piano (ignoring the discordant noise this produced) and looked at Rei, tapping his head in thought. “You’re nothing like Haru, though. I mean… I know we don’t know each other very well, but you’re the… hardline, logical type. Feeling’s not going to come to you as naturally as that guy. But tell me, Rei…” He raised his head again, looking at him very seriously. “Do you love music?” 

Rei’s eyes widened, and he nodded, equally serious. “Yes. I love music more than anything.”

“That’s what I thought.” Rin’s serious expression turned to a big smile, and he clapped a hand on Rei’s shoulder, ignoring his yelp of surprise. “Don’t worry, then! I’ll help you.”

“You’ll… help me? Really?”

“Sure!” _It’s the least I can do._ “I can’t have a guy half-assing it when he’s standing on the stage with me, right?”

Rei gave an annoyed huff at that, though he was still smiling, just a little. “So it’s like that… Fine! I accept your offer. And next live show…” He pulled down his glasses with a dramatic flourish, looking at Rin over the top of them. “I’ll give you a performance more beautiful than any you’ve ever seen!”

When Rin laughed this time, it _was_ a bit derisive, though also a bit fond. Maybe he could really learn to like this guy. Even if he was a complete weirdo.

“Okay then! We better start now.” He pointed at the music. “Start right here, and put your all into it.”

Rei bent back over the piano, and began to play.

* * *

It had been two weeks since that fateful afternoon, and Rin and Rei had spent almost every night after practice together since, working hard on Rei’s recital piece. Though he had shown some improvement, they still hadn’t found the way to get all that passion that Rin knew Rei had from his soul and into his fingertips. Rei had a strong mental block on himself that forced him to be almost clinical when he played, and getting him to let go of that block was proving difficult. Rin knew he was getting frustrated, and he couldn’t stand to see his… rival? Pupil? Bandmate?

He couldn’t stand to see his _friend_ like that. The last thing he ever wanted was for this kind, wonderful person to give up music forever, to fall into that same dark place he had.

But the night before, Rin had a flash of inspiration, the results of which were scrawled hastily in the notebook he clutched in his hand as he went with Rei back to his place after practice. It was where they usually went after rehearsal at Haru’s house.

“Before we start with the Chopin, I have something I want to show you,” he announced, sitting on Rei’s bed without any adieu. He’d become almost dangerously comfortable in Rei’s room, but then Nagisa was the same way, so really he didn’t feel like he was breaking any boundaries.

Regardless, Rei didn’t seem concerned by where he had positioned himself. He sat in his desk chair, pulled out so he was a bit closer to the bedside, and to Rin, than the desk. “What is it?”

“It’s… some lyrics that I wrote,” Rin admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. But then, this is the inspiration he’d had, which he hoped would help Rei finally find the heart in his music, so he couldn’t back down now. “I wanted you to read them.”

As he passed the notebook over, Rei smiled, clearly intrigued. “I didn’t know you wrote songs.”

“Yeah, well…” Rin focused on Rei’s ridiculous cowskin rug. “I… usually don’t tell anyone. But, uh, the song we used to sing together, “My Shining”? Those were my lyrics, and Haru’s composition.”

“That’s amazing,” said Rei, and Rin flushed. He didn’t know why words of praise from Rei always made him feel so bashful, with a strange queasiness in his stomach. No one else made him feel that way from a simple compliment.

“Will you just read them and tell me if they’re any good?” he snapped, suddenly wanting the humiliation he’d brought on himself over with. Sensing his impatience, Rei began to read, saying the words softly into the otherwise silent room.

_Hoshikatta no wa KURIA na BIJON (What we wanted was a clear vision)_

_Nani to mo hikikae ni shinai jounetsu (A passion that can’t be exchanged with anything else)_

_Jibun no ishi de eranda ima wo (Now let’s walk with all our might through the present)_

_Seippai susumou oh yeah (We chose on our own will, oh yeah)_

_Taisetsu na basho dakara koso hanpa na ore ja yurusenai (Precisely because it’s an important place for me, I can’t forgive myself if I don’t do it seriously)_

_Kanjou no KONTORORU kikanai kurai (I can feel myself get so worked up)_

_atsuku naru jibun kanjinagara (That I can’t control my feelings anymore)_

_“Imasara” nante mou iwanai sa (I won’t say it’s too late anymore)_

_Kyou no SUTAATO ni osoi koto wa nainda (It’s never slow to start today)_

A pause. Rei looked up at Rin, though Rin didn’t look back. “Is this meant as a duet?” 

Rin shrugged. “I guess it can be.”

“It just reads like… an exchange.”

“That’s kind of what I was thinking.” Another shrug.

Rei looked back at the page, and continued.

_Mitomete kizuku honto no kimochi (We noticed our real feelings after acknowledging them)_

_Dareka wo urayandatte kawaranai (They won’t change even if we envy someone)_

Rei trailed off. “This is about us.” 

Now it was Rin’s turn to look up, smiling in a way that was almost self-deprecating. “Yeah… it’s about _all_ of us, but… it’s a lot about you and me, too.”

Rei lifted his face, finally, and met Rin’s eyes. They were both silent for a pulse-pounding moment.

And then, with a languid grace, Rei stood up from his chair and walked over to his keyboard. Without bothering to sit down, he began to play. It was a melody Rei hadn’t heard before, and yet, when Rei began to sing his words over the top of it, it sounded so right.

“Hoshikatta no wa KURIA na BIJON, nani to mo hikikae ni shinai jounetsu, jibun no ishi de eranda ima wo, seippai susumou, oh yeah…”

He stopped, looking up at Rin, who stood over him, awestruck.

“I didn’t know you composed.”

“Well.” Rei gulped, looking sheepish. “I _am_ studying composition… ah, but none of my pieces have been very good so far.” He shrugged. “This one probably isn’t-“

Rin cut him off mid-sentence by clapping his hands down on Rei’s shoulders, staring him in the eyes. He needed to make sure Rei heard what he was about to say.

“Are you kidding? That was _fantastic_!” Rin broke out in a huge grin. “Don’t you get it, Rei? That was it. _That was it_!”

Rei’s eyes widened. “That was… you mean, it had passion?”

“Yes! Rei, that was perfect! Your soul came right through the keys!”

“I did it,” Rei repeated, sounding disbelieving. “It worked, Rin-san! I did it!”

Rin couldn’t contain himself anymore – he pulled Rei in close for a bone-crushing hug, Rei still repeating that he did it, over and over, and if his voice sounded a little choked up and watery, well, no one outside his room had to know that.

After a moment, Rin pulled back again, though didn’t let go of Rei. Their faces were inches apart, both of them still giddy with excitement over their success. They were both giggling faintly, Rei’s eyes a bit wet and red. He was warm under Rin’s hands, and Rin was suddenly aware of just how muscular Rei was. He was also dizzyingly aware of how bright Rei’s eyes could shine, even now, wet with tears.

They stayed that way just a second too long.

And then Rin let go, stumbling back and looking anywhere that wasn’t Rei’s face. He could feel a blush growing hot under his collar and traveling up to fade away into his hair. Rei was similarly looking elsewhere, making a noise that sounded like a squeak and fidgeting where he stood.

Rin broke the awkward silence by clearing his throat. “Wait a second, what are we doing?” He started looking frantically around the room. “Come on, we have to write that down before you forget it!”

“Ah, you’re right!” Rei turned abruptly back toward his desk, rushing quickly to find a pen and some blank score paper. “Don’t worry, I don’t think I’ve forgotten that quickly…”

“Well hurry up! Who knows what that wild imagination you have up there will come up with to push it out.”

“Don’t antagonize me, Rin-san!” He shoved the paper at him. “Here, I’ll play and you write it down.”

“Why me!?”

“I can’t do both at once!” Rei huffed. “And please _try_ to make it legible.”

“Just shut up and start, would you?”

But when Rei started to play again, Rin felt the irritation melt back away into joy. 

Rei’s answering smile said he felt the same.


End file.
